The International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation (IWWF) is pleased to announce that the 49th IWWF Waterski & Wakeboard World Cup Stop to be held at the Bi Hai Jin Sha Water Park, Shanghai City, from the 21st to 23rd of October 2018 has been given the green light by the General States Sports Administration Department of China to proceed.

Originally the event was scheduled, as in past years, over the China National Day celebrations at the beginning of October. However, the cable park, along with an estimated 90% of the beach structures and facilities at the Jin Sha City Beach, sustained damage when Typhoon Yagi hit Shanghai with a vengeance on the 13th and 14th of August 2018. The heavy rainstorms, wind and storm surge caused extensive damage closing the beach area for two weeks.

The supplier of the cableway Rixen, now under new ownership, have assisted in repairing the cable park, and with permission now granted to proceed all systems are go for the 49th IWWF World Cup Stop and fourth hosting of the IWWF Shanghai Cable Waterski & Wakeboard World Cup Stop by the Shanghai Bihai Sands Investment Development Co. Ltd, supported by the local municipality and tourism department.

Ariano Blanik – Germany

Representing 25 countries the event will involve some 30 invited cable riders along with 20 invited cable waterskiers, the latter pitting their skills over the jump for a share in the total cash purse of US$100,000.00

The 2017 event in Shanghai saw some exceptional performances amongst the cable riders matched again at the 48th event in May 2018, the IWWF Jordan Ayala Cable Wakeboard World Cup, held in Aqaba, promising the Shanghai crowds this year some spectacular competition.

Ranked number one, current IWWF World Open Women’s Cable Wakeboard Champion and last year’s winner, Julia Rick of Germany (GER) returns to Shanghai to defend her title and add another gold medal to her collection. All of the nine other women riders have great potential with Sanne Meijer of the Netherlands, 2nd last year in Shanghai, and Courtney Angus of Australia, 2nd in Jordan, are likewise both in contention.

The 20 male riders include Lior Sofer of Israel (ISR), last year’s winner in Shanghai and current IWWF World Open Men’s Cable Wakeboard Champion, Guy Firer (ISR) current IWWF Europe & Africa Open Men’s Cable Wakeboard Champion, and the young pretender to the crown, IWWF Europe & Africa Junior Men’s Cable Wakeboard Champion, Riccardo De Tollis (ITA). Ben Zilberman (ISR), 2nd last year in Shanghai, and Dominik Ghurs (GER) 2nd in Jordan and Ariano Blanik (GER), winner in Jordan, will be out to snatch the crown from Sofer.

Nikita Papakul (BEL)

The cableski jump event is likely to be just as exciting and hotly contested with the skiers having just competed in the IWWF World Cableski Championships in Dnipro, Ukraine. Having set an IWWF World Cup Women’s Jump record of 50.6 metres at last year’s Shanghai event Iryna Turets (BLR) returns to defend her title with Veronika Cseploova of Slovakia (SVK), 3rd last year, hoping to improve on her performance.

Fourteen men will compete in the men’s jump competition. Last year’s Shanghai winner Nikita Papakul (BLR) will again take on former world record holder Alexander Vasko (SVK), 2nd last year, and 3rd at the recent IWWF Cableski World’s in Ukraine. Winner of the 2018 IWWF World Men’s Cableski Jump event in Ukraine, Stsiapan Shpak (BLR) and Kamil Borysewicz of Poland who placed 2nd, will also be there to battle for honours.